All - Leep Calendar

The concept of dessert as part of a meal originated in Andalusia, Córdoba (Spain) on the Iberian Peninsula, circa 840-852 AD. Dessert was the brainchild of what you might call the first rock star-fashionista-inventor-culinary artist of the Common Era, Abu l-Hasan Ali Ibn Nafi, or as he was more commonly known, Ziryab, meaning "Blackbird" in Arabic. Ziryab was born in 789AD in what is today Iraq. He is one of the more interesting characters of history, going from slave to the top of the royal court during his life. Thanks to him, we have music schools, toothpaste, deodorant, clothes for different seasons, asparagus, and a three-course meal. (And those are just the top-line events.) THE THREE-COURSE MEAL Before Ziryab, dining didn't have much of a protocol. Instead, the food arrived on the table in a pile, and people grabbed whatever they wanted with their hands. Ziryab worked for the royal family in Córdoba. As part of his duties, he sought ways to make events memorable. "Why did dinner have to be dull?" he thought. Ziryab invented presentation, dressing up the table with fine linens, crystal glasses, and different size spoons. He also reorganized how food arrived on the table, changing it to a procession rather than presenting all dishes simultaneously. At the time, this was revolutionary. A man of many talents, Ziryab figured out that if you started with a soup (to prep the stomach and get digestion going), then moved on to the main dish of meat, veggies, and starches; the entire meal became an event when topped off with something sweet. Andalusia's royal court and aristocracy loved this new idea of three courses and making a meal a celebration. The custom of three courses and table dressing soon spread throughout the kingdom, upper classes, and the rest of Europe and the world. That sweet topping off the meal became known as dessert (about 900 years later when the French donated the word "desservir" or "clear the table" to denote the last item served). Of course, today's dessert can be a sweet treat, a cup of coffee, tea, or liquor. Today, we tend to eat dessert whenever we want. Still, technically, it's only dessert if it comes at the end of a meal.

Africa

Oct

Dessert Month, Ntl.: October

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National Dessert Month celebrates dessert. The concept of dessert as part of a meal originated in Andalusia, Córdoba (Spain) on the Iberian Peninsula, circa 840-852 AD. Dessert was the brainchild of what you might call the first rock star-fashionista-inventor-culinary artist of the Common Era, Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Nafi, or as he was more commonly known, Ziryab, meaning "Blackbird" or "Jaybird" in Persian. Ziryab was born in 789 AD in what is today Iraq. He is one of the more interesting characters in history, rising from slavery to the top of the royal court during his life. Thanks to him, we have music schools, toothpaste, deodorant, clothes for different seasons, asparagus, and a three-course meal; those are his most notable contributions. THE THREE-COURSE MEAL Before Ziryab, dining didn't have much of a protocol. Instead, the food arrived on the table in a pile, and people grabbed whatever they wanted with their hands. Ziryab worked for the royal family in Córdoba. As part of his duties, he sought ways to make events memorable. "Why did dinner have to be dull?" he thought. Ziryab invented presentation, dressing up the table with fine linens, crystal glasses, and different size spoons. He also reorganized how food arrived on the table, changing it to a procession rather than presenting all dishes simultaneously. At the time, this was revolutionary. A man of many talents, Ziryab figured out that if you started with a soup (to prep the stomach and get digestion going), then moved on to the main dish of meat, veggies, and starches, the entire meal became an event when topped off with something sweet. Andalusia's royal court and aristocracy loved this new idea of three courses and making a meal a celebration. The custom of three courses and table dressing soon spread throughout the kingdom, upper classes, and the rest of Europe and the world. That sweet topping off the meal became known as dessert about 900 years later when the French donated the word "desservir" or "clear the table" to denote the last item served. Of course, today's dessert can be a sweet treat, a cup of coffee, tea, or liquor. Today, we tend to eat dessert whenever we want. Still, technically, it's only dessert if it comes at the end of a meal. Today, dessert is what we celebrate and serve. And, thanks to Ziryab, we can! __________________ WHY HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF ZIRYAB? BLAME TOLEDO. Why don't you know about Ziryab? That's a little complicated, but I'll try to explain. Ziryab lived during what Eastern scholars call the "Golden Age of Islam," roughly the seventh century through the early 11th century AD. At the time, the Roman Catholic Church viewed the education of the masses as a threat; only the aristocracy's men and the clergy should be literate and educated. Muslims viewed it as a blessing and duty of faith for everyone, including women. Education for all is in the Qur'an. The Golden Age is marked by tremendous scholarship and invention and ended as Christian forces retook the Iberian Peninsula from Islamic forces beginning at the end of the 11th century. It was not a quick conquest, requiring 450 years to complete, and included the period called the Renaissance (the 1300s-1500s) in European history. In 1609, the Muslims were expelled from what is now Spain, completing the era. As part of this reconquest, in 1499, the Archbishop of Toledo ordered all Arabic manuscripts (except those of medicinal value) to be burned in the public square of Granada. Over a million original records and books were destroyed, with them the writings of historians, scientists, educators, and philosophers worldwide. It was a vast loss of knowledge and learning. Part of the reconquest of Europe included rejecting ideas, inventions, and processes created by persons or institutions of the Islamic and, at times, Jewish faiths. The focus instead turned to Greek and Roman scholarship. Today, if you grow up in Western countries, your world history education likely includes intense Greek and Roman history studies, some Egyptian, and many European, but very little on the Ottoman Empire, China, or Greater Asia. Because of this, Western-educated people do not know about people like Ziryab, who impacted so much of how we live today. Holy Toledo! The effects of Toledo's censorship continue today, though that is slowly changing one curious person at a time.

Africa

Oct

Development Information Day, World (1970): October 24

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International World Development Information Day was first declared in 1972 by the UN General Assembly to draw attention to development problems and raise awareness about the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them. It coincides with United Nations Day and the day of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

Africa

Oct

Devil's Night (US): October 30

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The night before Halloween in the United States is known as Devil's Night or Mischief Night. It's a night for kids and teens to organize pranks and minor vandalism, as long as it's in the good-hearted spirit of the holiday. The British also have a mischief night on the eve of Guy Fawkes Day, an expression of civil disobedience.

Africa

Oct

Dhanteras (H): October 29

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Dhan (treasure or property) Teras (the thirteenth day) is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hindu month of Kartik. Hindus believe that when goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this day, devotees receive prosperity and excellent health. This celebration is observed two days before Diwali. It is customary for people to buy precious metals on this day because Lord Kubera, the god of assets and wealth, is also revered on Dhan Teras. Kubera endows the faithful with prosperity, luck, and good fortune through purchasing these metals. Homes are cleaned, and the people bathe before worshipping Lakshmi. Diyas (oil lamps) are lit during the day, and children burn crackers. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Oct

Dia de la Raza (MX)(1492): October 12

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Columbus Day / Discovery Day / Friendship Day / Día de la Hispanidad / Día de la Raza / Native Americans' Day / Discovers' Day Locations: Belize, Mexico, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Spain, South Dakota & Hawaii, United States All of these events mark a historical anniversary. The celebration, however, originated with President Benjamin Harrison in 1892. You see, Harrison had a problem. In 1891, rioters in New Orleans killed 11 Italian immigrants, three of whom still held Italian citizenship. Even then, uniquely American hypocrisy reigned. Citizens hated immigrants, despite nearly every American descending from or being an immigrant. Six Italians were accused of murder in March of that year. By the next day, rumors whipped through the Big Easy, and a mob stormed the jail. The rioters murdered 11 Italians as retribution. The shootings and lynchings caused a political nightmare for the Harrison Administration with the Italian government, and Harrison was up for re-election. Italy recalled its officials, and American officials vacated Rome. Threats of war were traded, and nobody was happy. Since the mid-nineteenth century, Italians choosing US citizenship had become a significant voting block in the United States. Harrison needed their vote, and paying restitution to the Italian government produced ridicule rather than results. An idea formed. It was the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the Americas. Columbus was Italian, and many large spectaculars were already planned. Why not make Columbus Day an official federal holiday for the year 1892? That worked. Diplomats returned to their posts, war was averted, and Italians celebrated in the Americas. Columbus Day became an official annual holiday in the United States by a joint Congressional/Presidential resolution on April 30, 1934, with modification in 1968 (36 USC 107) to the second Monday of October. Columbus Day commemorates the events of October 11-15, 1492, when Christopher Columbus and his crew first sighted land. Landfall occurred on October 12, 1492; he thought he had found a way to India. Instead, Columbus discovered the Bahamas, and it would take time for him to realize it was an entirely new continent. Columbus Day, on October 12, is a national holiday in Belize, and the Bahamas refer to it as Discovery Day. In Spain, it is called Día de la Hispanidad, or Hispanity Day. In the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, it is called Friendship Day, and Mexico refers to the anniversary as Día de la Raza, or Day of Race. The United States also marks the anniversary with Native American Day and the state of Hawaii with Discovers' Day. FIRST EUROPEANS Most Americans believe that Columbus was the first European to discover America. He was the first to find the islands of the Caribbean, but not mainland North America. The first European to land on American soil was Leif Eriksson, a Viking, on October 9, 1000 AD. But first, he saw it a year before when his ship was blown off course leaving Iceland. In 999 AD, he did not land. He called the new land Helluland (Stone Slab Land). The following year, he returned, sailing south, and eventually set up camp in what we refer to as present-day Newfoundland, which he called Vinland since it was bursting with spectacular wine grapes. Archeologists in the 1960s uncovered the original camp in modern L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO world heritage site today. Eriksson wasn't the first European to see America. That honor falls to another Viking, Bjarni Herjolfsson. Herjolfsson saw a land covered in trees in 986 AD. He was trying to get to Greenland with his father, Erik the Red. He missed it. However, Herjolfsson did not set foot on American soil; that would have to wait another 13 years. On October 9, 1825, the first group of immigrants from Norway arrived in the United States. In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed October 9 as Leif Eriksson Day. CONTROVERSY OVER COLUMBUS Columbus Day has become controversial in the United States because his discovery also led to the genocide of Native Americans, who lost 90% of their people over the next 400 years due to illness, enforced poverty, land theft, discrimination, and wars. That Columbus initiated colonialism through his discovery, which led to slavery and the disenfranchisement of Native Americans, is another reason several groups do not want the day or the explorer remembered. However, Columbus Day is significant to Italian Americans, who view the explorer with great pride. An Italian, he sailed to America under the patronage of the Spanish King and Queen. As far as I can tell, Alabama, in 2000, was the first state to change Columbus Day to American Indian Day in honor of America's indigenous people. By 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement, Native American organizations, and other social justice movements continued to call into question Columbus' legacy and advocate for the abolition of the holiday. In 2021, after a rise of activism to recognize indigenous people in the United States rather than their colonizers, President Biden proclaimed the first-ever National Indigenous Peoples' Day in place of Columbus Day.

Africa

Oct

Dictionary Day, Intl. (1758): October 16

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International Dictionary Day marks the anniversary of the birth of Noah Webster, a political writer, spelling reformer, editor, and prolific author. Born on October 16, 1758, Webster is best known for his work on the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary, published in 1828. It became the standard for American English. Webster died May 28, 1843.

Africa

Oct

Disability Employment Awareness Month: October

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National Disability Employment Awareness Month was created via a Presidential proclamation in 2011 in the US and Canada in 2015. More than 20 years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities, including injured veterans, are making immeasurable contributions to workplaces across our country. Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities remains too high, nearly double that of those without disabilities; reversing this trend is crucial. Canada lags behind the United States with disability initiatives, but 16% of our working population lives with a disability. Public and private sector employers use this month to focus on ways to increase employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities and make sure their workplace remains accessible and disability friendly.

Africa

Oct

Disability History and Awareness Weeks (US/CA): October 1-14

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Disability History & Awareness Week educates children and the general population about people with disabilities, their achievements, and how to prevent becoming disabled through personal safety and awareness. It's about addressing the stigma surrounding many disabilities and those suffering from them. This event is marked locally by various state and local government institutions throughout the United States during Disability History Month each year. In some states, like Florida, it is observed for two whole weeks, and in others, like Virginia, it is observed during the second week of October, and Canada celebrates the first school week of October. Check with your local government agencies for events in your area.

Africa

Oct

Disarmament Week, World: October 24-30

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The United Nations promote World Disarmament Week. It encourages nations and people to choose peaceful solutions over militancy when solving problems.

Africa

Oct

Disaster Reduction Day, Intl.: October 13

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International Disaster Reduction Day celebrates people and communities worldwide that work tirelessly to reduce human exposure to natural disasters, including preventing human casualties. It seeks to raise awareness of the tools and treatments available to people who have become victims of natural disasters. In 2009, International Disaster Reduction Day moved to its permanent date of October 13. The event first ran in 1989.

Africa

Oct

Discoverers' Day (US-HI)(1492): October 12

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Columbus Day / Discovery Day / Friendship Day / Día de la Hispanidad / Día de la Raza / Native Americans' Day / Discoverers' Day Locations: Belize, Mexico, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Spain, South Dakota & Hawaii, USA These commemorations acknowledge a historic milestone. Its inception began with President Benjamin Harrison in 1892 due to a predicament. In 1891, an unruly mob in New Orleans took the lives of 11 Italian immigrants, of which three still possessed Italian citizenship. The irony was palpable; the very immigrants, from whom many Americans descended, were despised. After accusations of murder were levied against six Italians, a fueled mob retaliated, resulting in the death of those above 11. This incident strained relations between the Harrison Administration and Italy. Italy withdrew its diplomats, while American representatives departed from Rome. Amid these tensions, Harrison faced re-election. With Italians becoming a significant electorate in the US, Harrison sought their favor. The upcoming 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage presented an opportunity. Celebrating Columbus, an Italian figure, was deemed a strategic move. Columbus Day was declared a federal holiday in 1892, further cemented in 1934, and adjusted in 1968. Columbus Day remembers the period between October 11-15, 1492, marking Columbus' discovery. Initially thinking he had found a route to India on October 12, he had landed in the Bahamas, recognizing its true identity only later. Different nations honor this day uniquely: Belize celebrates it as Columbus Day, the Bahamas as Discovery Day, Spain as Día de la Hispanidad, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as Friendship Day, and Mexico as Día de la Raza. The USA also acknowledges it with Native Americans' Day and Hawaii Discoverers' Day. FIRST EUROPEANS While Columbus is credited with discovering the Caribbean islands, he wasn't the first European to land on the American mainland. That distinction goes to Viking Leif Eriksson in 1000 AD, preceded by a sighting in 999 AD. He dubbed this land Helluland and eventually settled in what's now Newfoundland, named Vinland, due to its vine-rich landscape. Eriksson's discovery site was later unearthed at L'Anse aux Meadows, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the first European to glimpse America was Viking Bjarni Herjolfsson in 986 AD. Though he didn't land, he paved the way for Eriksson's later discovery. Significantly, the initial Norwegian immigrants arrived in the US on October 9, 1825. By 1964, this date was commemorated as Leif Eriksson Day. CONTROVERSY OVER COLUMBUS Columbus Day has become controversial in the United States because his discovery also led to the genocide of Native Americans, who lost 90% of their people over the next 400 years due to illness, enforced poverty, land theft, discrimination, and wars. That Columbus initiated colonialism through his discovery, which led to slavery and the disenfranchisement of Native Americans, is another reason several groups do not want the day or the explorer remembered. However, Columbus Day is significant to Italian Americans, who view the explorer with great pride. An Italian, he sailed to America under the patronage of the Spanish King and Queen. As far as I can tell, Alabama, in 2000, was the first state to change Columbus Day to American Indian Day in honor of America's indigenous people. By 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement, Native American organizations, and other social justice movements continued to call into question Columbus' legacy and advocate for the abolition of the holiday. In 2021, after a rise of activism to recognize indigenous people in the United States rather than their colonizers, President Biden proclaimed the first-ever National Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day.

Africa

Oct

Discovery Day (BS)(1492): October 12

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Africa

Oct

Diversity Awareness Month, Global: October

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Diversity Awareness Month seeks to remind us about the many gifts diversity bestows on society. Its purpose is to educate people that differences lead to progress. Embrace rather than reject. This event began in the US but is currently global.

Africa

Oct

Diversity Day, Ntl.: October 4

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National Diversity Day is a day to celebrate and embrace who we are, despite our differences, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality, or disability. A day to reflect on and learn about different cultures and ideologies and address these areas at educational and religious institutions, workplace, and home. National Diversity Day is an annual event on the first Friday in October (Diversity Awareness Month). This event first ran in 2005.

Africa